By Buziwe Nocuze
Traffic officers arrested a scholar transport driver who fought with their colleagues in Cape Town.
A video of the incident on Monday morning on the N2 has gone viral.
In the video, traffic officers are seen grabbing the driver, who is bleeding from a head wound. The video does not show how the driver was injured.
JP Smith, the city’s Mayoral Committee Member (MCM) for Safety and Security, said the driver stabbed one officer in the head with his car keys.
The trouble began when Ghost Squad officers saw the driver overtaking other cars on the shoulder of the road near Borcherds Quarry.
The officers used blue lights and sirens to signal the driver to stop, but he refused to pull over.
“They eventually boxed in the vehicle with help from other officers. The driver was told he would be arrested for reckless driving. When they tried to handcuff him, he resisted and stabbed one officer in the head with his car keys,” said Smith.
The driver then grabbed an officer’s pepper spray and used it on the officers, punching and kicking them.
He jumped back into his vehicle, let out three learners, and sped off. The driver was later boxed in again but escaped by jumping over a wall and running towards Bonteheuwel.
On Tuesday, the driver was arrested at the Green Point Traffic Department after being brought in by the taxi owner.
“He will be charged with resisting arrest, assault, and reckless and negligent driving,” said Smith.
A taxi driver, who did not want to be named, agreed with the owner’s decision to bring the driver in.
“I think the owner did the right thing. It shows he respects the law and wants to get his vehicle back. Owners don’t tell their drivers to run from officers, especially when the vehicle has all the necessary permits,” said the driver.
Lulamile Damane, a passenger, said the owner should get his vehicle back.
“I wish all drivers would obey the rules of the road, including taxi and scholar transport drivers. People driving Toyota Quantums on the N2 make things difficult, especially with illegal overtaking, which causes accidents that could be avoided,” said Lulamile.
Pictured above: Police.
Source: File
